Stereotype-plate holder



' (No Model.) Q

G. S; SULTZER 8: H. E. SHEDD.

STEREOTYPE PLATE HOLDER.

Patented Apr. 20

UNITED STATES A'IENT CLIFTON S. SULTZER AND HUGH E. SI-IEDD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

STEREOTYF'E-PLATE HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 581,046, dated April 20, 1897.

Application filed June 4,1896. Serial No. 594.308. (No model.)

To all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that we, CLIFTON S. SULTZER and HUGH E. SHEDD, citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State'of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stereotype-Plate Holders; and we do declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

.Our invention relates to improvements in stereotype and electrotype plate holders, and is particularly adapted for clamping plates of various sizes to a block, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View showing a stereotype-plate in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the block. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of one of the clamps, showing the parts separated; and Fig. 4 is a cross-section of the same.

Referring to the drawings more particularly, 1 designates a stereotype-block. In one side of this block are two or more outout portions 2 2, having ribs 3 on their opposite faces. The end of the block is likewise provided with a cut-out portion at similar in every respect to the portions 2 2. A clampblock 5 is designed to fit within each of these cut-out portions, and has on its sides the grooves 6, which correspond with and engage the ribs 3 of the stereotype-block. This riband-groove construction is preferred by us on account of its simplicity, but it will be readily understood that various means may be employed for holding the blocks within the cutout portions or recesses without involving a departure from the principles of our invention. A diagonal groove 7 is formed in the upper surface of the clamp-block, and its front wall is somewhat reduced to form a bearing or shoulder 8 for the sliding clamp, hereinafter more specifically described, while its rear wall is constructed with the overhanging flange 10, adapted to engage over the said sliding clamp and hold the same in its operative position. The front wall of the groove 7 is provided with the ratchet-teeth 9, below the 7, the upper edge of said flange 13 bearing against the flange 10 of the clamp-block, so that the clamp is held and guided thereby. A spring-pawl 14 has one end secured to the side of the clamp and its other end projecting beyond the same and engaging the ratchetteeth 9. The upper outer end of the pawl is extended so as to form a finger-piece 15, by which it may be disengaged from the ratchetteeth when it is desired to release the clamp.

Opposite the cut-out portions of the stereotype-block are shallow grooves 16, in which are ad justably secured stay-pieces 17, having upwardly projecting holding flanges 18, adapted to be engaged by the edges of the stereotype-plate. These staypieces have slots 19, through which a screw 20 is inserted to adjustabl'y secure them to the stereotypeblock.

The operation of our device will be readily understood from the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

The stereotype-plate is supported directly by the block in the usual manner, and is locked thereto by having its edges secured by the stay-pieces and the sliding clamps; Should the outside dimensions of the plate be approximately equal to the outside dimensions of the block, filling-in plates 21 are fitted in the cut-out portions of the block so as to support the plate, and the clamp-blocks are then fitted in position, after which the ICO up all vacant spaces and permitting a tight lock-up. The clamp-blocks and filling-in plates being introduced into the cut'out portions of the block, the plate is placed in position with two of its edges engaging the staypieces, after which the sliding clamps are pushed home.

It will be readily seen that we have provided a construction which permits the greatest practicable range in the size of the plate without multiplying the number of blocks or complete plate-holders, and that as the clamp-blocks are independent of the stereotype-blocks any size plate-holder may be quickly supplied for use without any cost if a set of the blocks be on hand. Slight inaccuracies in the stereotype-plate may be remedied by shifting the stay-pieces without unlocking the form or shifting the position of the block. The use of the clamp-blocks permits a holder for any odd or unusual sized plate to be readily built up from furniture.

Having thus described ourinvention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is p 1. A clamp for securing a stereotype or electrotype plate to the block consisting of a clamp-block having a diagonal groove in the upper surface of the same, one side of said groove having an overhanging flange and the other side being provided with ratchet-teeth, and a locking-clamp sliding in said groove provided with a pawl to engage said ratchetteeth.

2. A clamp for holding stereotype-plates having a body portion approximately V- shaped, a flange or holding edge projecting therefrom a lower flange having its edge projecting slightly beyond the edge of one side of the body portion, this flange being at an angle to the upper flange, and a spring-pawl secured at one end to the lower flange and having its outer end bent to form a fingerpiece.

In a device for holding stereotype-plates, the combination of a block having cut-out portions at one end and at one side, adj ustable stay-pieces secured at opposite points on the block to the cut-out portions, clampblocks adapted to fit within the cut-out portions, diagonal grooves in the upper surfaces of the clamp-blocks, one edge of the groove having a series of ratchet-teeth and the opposite edge forming an overhanging flange, and a clamp having an upper flange designed to hold the plate and alower flange and springpawl adapted to slide within the diagonal groove, the pawl designed to engage the ratchet-teeth in the groove.

4. A clamp for securing a stereotype-plate to the block consisting of a clamp-block having a groove in its upper surface, a clamp working in said groove, and a lock secured to and carried by said clamp and adapted to automatically engage a wall of the groove and thereby secure the clamp.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

CLIFTON S. SULTZER. HUGH E. SHEDD.

Witnesses:

L. G. GERRISH, L. M. SIKES. 

